Cover support



April 9, 1929. 1.. GUTEKUNSTI coma SUPPORT Filed March 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet fizdenior LEONARD 'GUTE KUNST uyliorney April 9, 1929. L. GUTEKUNST COVER SUPPORT Filed March 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W p /VV//7/ //l Y w m 2 u a 5 4. .2 if a m M LEONARD GUTEKUNST flfiorraaa Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES LEONARD GUTEKUNST, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

covna SUPPORT.

Application filed March 22, 1928.

This invention relates generally to certain new and useful improvements in supports for hinged covers, lids and the like, and more particularly to a form of support arranged to automatically lock the cover or lid in raised position at the same time it readily permits the cover to be released from its locked position in order that said cover may be lowereo into closed position.

While the present invention is particularly adapted for holding the cover or lid of a stage-lighting box in opened position, it will be unc erstood, of course, that it is equally applicable for use in connection with the hinged covers or lids of phonographs, refrigerators, trunks and other such cases or boxes, and, in fact, wherever it is desirableto automatically look a hinged cover in raised position, release of the cover from this locked position being readily and solely accomplished by manipulation of the cover itself independently of and without separate manipulation of the support.

It is accordingly one of the primary objc-cts of this invention to provide a device for supporting a hinged cover in raised position, said device being not only simple in construction and strong and durable in use, but being also operable to automatically lock the cover when the latter is raised to a predetermined height.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character mentioned which will automatically assume a supporting position when the cover is raised to a n-edetermined height, and which will be automatically released from said s pporting position when the cover is raised to a still further height whereupon the cover may be lowered into closed position.

A still further object of the invention is theprovision of a support for a hinged cover which is arranged to be automatically locked in position to hold said cover open and which when released from said locked position permits the cover of its own weight to be lowered into closed position, the support being inoperative to maintain said cover in raised position after it has been released from said locked position.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device for supporting a hinged cover in raised position, said device includin an arm pivotally secured to the cover and a guiding means with which the free'end of said arm is operatively associated, said means Serial No. 263,654.

being operative to cause the free end of the arm to describe a closed loop as the cover is raised to opened position and then lowered into closed position.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a hinged cover support which is composed of relatively few parts and which is adapted for-eflicient use in connection with various types and forms of hinged covers or lids.

Other objects and objects relating to details of construction and operation will appear more fully hereinafter. v

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and as finally pointed out in the appended claims. In the said accompanying drawings, wherein the supporting device is shown in operative association with the hinged cover of a stage lighting box, the latter being shown and described for illustrative purposes only:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box showing the cover or lid thereof supported in raised position;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the box showing a portion of the supporting device, the cover in this instance being closed;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the supporting device in locked position for supporting the cover in raised position;

F 11i-es 4 to 8, inclusive, are views respectively showing the supporting device in y'arious positions the cover is raised to opened position and thenlowered into closed position; and A Figure 9 is a cross section through the supporting device taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 4. 7

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that the invention has been shown in connection with a stage-light ing box 10 provided with a cover 11 which is hinged, as at 12, to the boX. Secured to the under surface of the cover 11 in any suitable manner is a battery of lamps 13, these lamps being so arranged that when the cover is raised by means of the handle 14 to the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 the light rays emanating therefrom will be projected upon the stage. In the, usual practice, the box 10 constitutes one of a series of similar boxes arranged end'for cnd along the front of the stage and in such manner that the lamps are directed toward the rear thereof, but inasmuch as this arrangement forms no part or the present invention it is not believed necesprises generally an arm or pitn1an'1'6 operatively associated with a bracket 17. This arm or pitman is pivotally secured, as at 18, to the cover 11, preferably to the under surface thereof just inside its side edge. The free lower end of the p-itman 16 is provided with a laterally projecting stud or pin 19 upon which is preferably received a roller 20. As appears clearly in the drawings, this stud 19 projects outwardly toward the side wall 21 of'the box 10.

Secured to the box 10, preferably to the side wall 21 thereof, is the bracket 17 which isia'rranged for operative association with the stud 19. This bracket 17 comprises a main body member or plate 22 provided along its .upper edge with a flange 23 arranged to be secured in any suitable manner to theunder surface of the inturned upper edge 24 of the box 10, it being understood, of course, that said plate may be secured to the side 21 or upon the bottom of the box, if desired. The illustrated arrangement, however, is preferred-due to the fact that it makes possible theemployment of a. standard length pitman which is not affected by changes in depth of the box. Formed along the lower edge of the plate 22 is a flange 25, this flange constituting a runway which is inclined rearwardly and upwardly toward-the hinged edge of the cover.. Continuing upwardly from the upper end of flange 25 is a substantially vertically extending flange 26, the lower and upper ends of which are curved to provide vertically spaced. seats 27 and 28, the-seat 27 being depressed somewhat below the plane of the runway 25. Interconnecting the upper seat 28 and the forward and lower end of the runway 25 is an arcuately shaped flange 29,'the forward and lower end thereof forming conjointly with the similar end of the runway 25 a third seat 1 30, this latter seat being arranged considerably in advance of andat an elevation considerably lower than either of theseats 27 and 28. It will be noted that the flanges 25, 26, and 29 are preferably formed as integral contlnuations meet the other suchthat theyconstitute a closed loop having the three spaced seats 27, 28 and 30, each of which project somewhat beyond the perimetral boundary of the loop.

7 Pivotally mounted within the area definedhy the flanges 25,26 and 29 is a pawl or similar member 31. the forward end of this pawl bei pivot-ally supported upon a pin 32 proecting inwardly from the main-body member or plate22. This pawl 31 is of the particular shape shown in the drawings wherein it will he seen that the upper and lower edges thereof are each arcuately shaped and that they diverge toward the rear end to form an "obtuse heel portion 33 and an acute toe portion 34 interconnected by the substantially straight rear edge 35. This pawl 31, which is preferably of a uniform thickness substantially equal to that of the flanges 25, 26 and 29, is of a length and is so arranged that the rear edge thereof normally overlies the seat or depression 27 provided at the upper end of the runway 25.. When in this position (see Figures 3 and 4) it will be seen that paths of 7 travel forthe stud are respectively provided between the lower edge of the pawl and the flange '25 and between the upper edge of the pawl and the flange 29. It is within these paths that the laterally projecting stud 19 travels as the cover is raised to opened or lowered into closed position.

\Vhen the parts are assembled and the cover is closed, the stud 19 is positioned within the seat located at the lower endof the runway 25 while the pawl 31 is in its lowermost position (see Figure l). As the cover-israised about the hinges 12, the arm orpitman 1G is lifted and in so doing causes the stud 19 to travel upwardly. along the inclined runway 25 until it reaches a point immediately above the seat 27 within which the stud automatlcally seats due to the weight of the cover. The pawl 31, being free to move upwardly about its pivot,'ofl'ers no resistance whatever to this upward travel of the stud, thefinal position of the pawl being that shown in Figure 5 when the stud is seated within the seat 27 such that the arm is locked in cover-supporting position.

In order to release the cover fromits locked open position, it is merely necessary to raise it slightly above its normal raised.- position whereupon the stud 19 will be lifted vertical- I raised, the stud lirst engaging the heel portion 33and thenthe toe portion 34 thereof. (See Figures 6 and7.) At the instantthe stud is lifted into the seat 28, the toe portion 34 ofthe pawl passes beneath the stud, and the pawl, being no longer in engagement with the stud, drops into the position shown in Figure. 7, it being observed that this position is exactly similar to that shown in Figure 4. In this flnalpositon of the pawl, the upper edge thereof constitutes a forwardly and downwardly extending runway along which the stud 19 travels when the .cover is lowered to again assume the'position shown in Figure 4. In Figure 8,-the stud is shown midway between the seats 28 and.30 as it travels downwardly from the former toward the latter. Due to the fact that when theipawl is in its lewermostposition, the toe portion Stthcreof abuts against the flange,26,there is no possibility'of the stud falling vertically into the seat 27, the only path of travel for the stud being that which is defined by the upper edge of the pawl.

It is to be understood, of course, that various changes and modifications of the invention may be made from time to time without departing from the real spirit or principles thereof, and it is therefore intended to claim the same broadly as well as specifically as defined in the appended claims.

hat is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a support for a hinged cover or the like, in combination, an arm pivotally secured to and depending from said cover, said arm being provided at its free end with a laterally projecting stud, and a bracket supported independently of said cover and arranged for operative engagement with said stud, said bracket including an inclined runway having a seat at the upper end thereof for reception of said stud when the cover is raised to a predetermined height and a seat at its lower end for reception of said stud when the cover is in closed position, and means extending between said seats and normally overlying the upper seat for preventing said stud from regaining said upper seat when the cover is raised to a greater height.

2. In a support for a hinged cover or the like, in combination, an arm pivotally secured to and depending from said cover, said arm being provided at its lower end with a laterally projecting stud, a bracket supported independently of said cover and including an upwardly inclined runway, the opposlte ends of which terminate in depressions arranged to respectively receive said stud when the cover is raised to a predetermined height or is in closed position, and a member pivotally secured to said bracket the free end of which normally overlies the upper depression, said member constituting a downwardly inclined runway terminating immediately above the lower depression and along which said stud is arranged to travel when the latter is lifted out of said upper depression.

3. In a support for a hinged cover or the like, in combination, an arm pivotally secured to and depending from said cover, said arm being provided at its lower end with a laterally projecting stud, a bracket operatively associated with said stud and comprising a plate provided with an upwardly inclined flange the upper end of which terminates in a vertically extending flange, a

, seat'formed at the juncture of said inclined and vertically extending flanges, said seat being arran ed to receive said stud when the cover is raised to a predetermined height, and a member pivotally secured to said plate at a point adjacent the lower end of said inclined flange, the free end of said member being arranged to normally overlie said depression and the lower pivoted end thereof being spaced from said inclined flange to provide a passage between said pivotal point and said flange for said stud as said cover is lifted.

4. In a support for a hinged cover or the like, in combination, a bracket comprising a main member provided at its lower edge with an upwardly and rearwardly inclined flange and at its rear edge with a substantially vertically extending flange constituting an integral continuation of said inclined flange, an arcuately shaped flange extending between and integrally joining the lower end of said inclined flange with the upper end of said vertically extending flange, a member pivotally supported upon said plate at a point located within the area defined by said flanges, the pivoted end of said member terminating short of the juncture formed between said inclined and arcuately shaped flanges and the free end thereof being arranged to abut against said vertically extending flange, the upper and lower edges of said pivoted member being divergent toward the free end thereof.

5. In a support for a hinged cover or the like, in combination, an arm depending from said cover and having a stud on the lower end thereof, a bracket including plate hav ing an upwardly inclined runway along which said stud is arranged to travel as said cover is being raised, said runway being provided at its upper end with a depression arranged to receive said stud whereby to lock said arm in cover-supporting position, a pawl pivotally secured to said plate such that the free end thereof normally overlies said depression, the upper edge of said pawl constituting a downwardly inclined runway for said stud, and a flange extending vertically from the upper end of said upwardly inclined runway, the free end of said pawl being arranged to normally abut against said flange in overlying relation with respect to said depression when said cover is in closed position and being shiftable away from said flange and upwardly of said depression when said cover is raised to a predetermined height.

6. In a support for a hinged cover or the like, in combination, an arm depending from said cover and having a stud on the lower end thereof, a bracket supported independently of said cover, said bracket being provided with an upwardly inclined runway along which said stud is arranged to travel said cover is being raised, a socket at the upper end of said runway within which said stud is received to lock said arm in cover-supporting position, a flange extending vertically above said socket to form a second socket vertically spaced above said first socket, a pivot ally supported member arranged with the free end thereof overlying said first socket and in abutting relation with respect to said flange, said member being shiftable upwardly about its pivot to permit said stud to pass freely into said first socket and thence upwardly toward said second socket.

7. In a support for a hinged cover or the like, in combination, an arm depending from said cover and having-a stud-on the lower end thereof, airupwardly inclined runway along Wl-iiehsa-id stud is arranged :to travel as said cover is raised, a pair of vertically spaced sockets arranged at the upper end of said runway, and a pivotally mounted member the upper edge of whichconstitutes a dowi-iwardly extending runway along which said stud is arranged to travel as sa id cover is lowered and the free end of which is arranged to normall-y OVQIl'lB the lower of said soeliets, said member being shiftableuipwardly to permit said stud to seat first in said lower and zthen in the upperof said vertically spaced sockets, said member being further arranged 1301mm, mat-ically drop into ,a position such thatisaid uppeiwedge thereof 'lies below said stud when the latter passes into said upper socket Whereby to prevent said-stud from reseating in said lower socket.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto vaf 25 fixed my signature.

LEONARD GUTEKUNST. 

